Late-night revellers will be able to catch a bus home this weekend for the first time in 15 years.

Bus operator Stagecoach starts a six-month pilot scheme tonight which sees Nightrider buses taking passengers along two of its most popular routes from Bewick Street, opposite Newcastle's Central Station.

They will travel to West Denton, along West Road, and to Walker, through Byker.

The company said demand for the late-night routes came from those who stay on for last orders and miss the last bus, along with nightclubbers looking for transport in the early hours.

The services will cater for both and run every half hour from midnight to 3am for a fixed fare of &#xA3;2.

Pop Idol finalist and former Newcastle train driver Aaron Bayley was at the launch today.

Robin Knight, Stagecoach's commercial manager for Tyne and Wear, said: "Nightrider will run every Friday and Saturday night for six months, including the busy Christmas period and the quieter January period.

"That will give us a holistic view of the service and allow us to make a realistic judgement as to its long-term viability.

"If it proves popular we hope to be able to extend the service to other areas of the city and, possibly, other nights of the week."

The bus company has also taken measures to safeguard security for passengers and its drivers. A supervisor will be at the pick-up point throughout the night while all buses are fitted with CCTV and a vandal screen.

The control room, which drivers can contact instantly, will also be manned.